As many parents will know, there comes an age when your grown children no longer want to travel with you, preferring to explore independently or with friends. Then comes the moment when a parentally funded vacation in a high-end resort in one of the world’s hottest destinations is simply too good to resist.
Vietnam seemed the perfect choice, with its reputation for adventure, culture and world-renowned hotels and resorts.
And Ho Chi Minh City seemed the obvious place to start – or, as I quickly learned from the locals, unless you’re a visiting diplomat, it’s far more acceptable to use its former name. Saigon has become something of a modern megacity, with the wider metropolitan area now home to more than 14 million people.
As we were taxied from Tan Son Nhat Airport at rush hour, the scale of this population was immediately apparent. An army of mopeds seemed to swarm from all directions at every intersection as we made our way steadily through a maze of neon-lit streets.
Rather than suburb names, the city is divided into numbered districts. The most significant tourist attractions sit within Districts 1 and 3, and this is where our hotel, Hôtel des Arts Saigon – MGallery Collection, is conveniently located.
An oasis of calm
After the bustle of the city center, turning into the hotel’s driveway feels like entering another world of calm sophistication. The flowing panels and layered architectural design of the main entrance are a nod to the Áo dài, Vietnam’s iconic traditional attire.
Step inside the reception and you are immediately transported to the elegance of 1930s French Indochina. The Art Deco building offers all the benefits of modern luxury (the hotel recently celebrated its 10th anniversary), but with walls adorned with the owner’s personal collection of paintings and antiques, it feels almost like living in a museum.
Hôtel des Arts Saigon – MGallery Collection gallery
We spend time exploring the artworks in the stylish Café des Beaux Arts tearoom, all by renowned Vietnamese artists and thoughtfully labeled. Among them is a reassuring, accolade-laden wall, including the recent title of Leading Lifestyle Hotel in Asia by the World Travel Awards.
Culinary excellence
There was no need to leave our opulent surroundings on the first night. On the 23rd floor sits The Albion, a renowned fine-dining restaurant guided by double-Michelin-starred chef Kirk Westaway.
The restaurant’s name signals its British culinary influence, which runs throughout the tasting menu – and through the veins of head chef Christopher Clarke. Floor-to-ceiling windows deliver a stunning panoramic view of Saigon after dark, and the historic wooden oak bar once served thirsty Victorians in a British pub in its former life.
The historic wooden oak bar once served thirsty Victorians in a British pub in its former life.
We were immediately captivated by the warm Vietnamese hospitality and the theater of the first Fields of Red cocktail, where a half lime filled with absinthe was set alight and poured into a delightful concoction crafted with the restaurant’s in-house gin.
With a background in the United Kingdom myself, I found the tasting menu to be a sensory journey through nostalgic flavor accents. A fish and chips bite transformed the humble British staple into a refined morsel, finished with Russian caviar, crisp potato and an elegant sauce.
A picnic-blanket playing card complete with a quote from Kirk himself arrived alongside Pimms in the Park, where the quintessential summer drink was playfully poured over a refreshing cucumber and orange sorbet.
After a memorable dinner, the mood shifted as we headed up to the vibrant rooftop bar. The Social Club has become one of Saigon’s go-to nightlife destinations, and it’s hard to imagine a better place for a nightcap than here, with breathtaking 360-degree views across the city.
It’s hard to imagine a better place for a nightcap than here, with breathtaking 360-degree views across the city.
When it was finally time for bed, a thoughtful detail from hotel management stood out: A brief note reminding guests that, as the hotel sits in the beating heart of the city, some external noise is inevitable – followed by a complimentary pack of earplugs. Despite our central location, I didn’t need them. Either the rooms were exceptionally well soundproofed or I was simply exhausted after a busy first day.
The next morning revealed that the exceptional service extended well beyond dinner, continuing through to the generous buffet breakfast. It was also our introduction to Vietnamese coffee – a rich, iced brew served with condensed milk.
Historic landmarks to bustling night markets
It was time to explore the city and, thanks to the hotel’s location, everything we wanted to see was within walking distance – provided you mastered the art of crossing the chaotic road. The trick is to walk steadily, make eye contact with drivers and keep moving. It sounds insane, but like water flowing around a pebble, the mopeds part fluidly on either side. Somehow, it works.
Before long, we had ticked off District 1 landmarks including Notre Dame Cathedral, the Opera House, the magnificent French colonial Central Post Office and the Reunification Palace – where the Vietnam War ended in 1975 when two North Vietnamese Army tanks famously crashed through the gates.
Like water flowing around a pebble, the mopeds part fluidly on either side. Somehow, it works.
Despite peak-season crowds and summer heat, the city felt calm and functional, with tourists and locals moving side by side without friction.
The day ended with street food at Ben Thanh Night Market, where haggling remains very much an art form. After some enjoyable back and forth, we left stocked up with some convincing Birkenstock sandals and Oakley sunglasses that we were assured were ‘very original.’
Window to the past
The next day, it was time for parents and sons to go their separate ways. While my wife and I explored the Mekong Delta – including a glorious sampan ride through narrow waterways – our sons opted for a visit to the famous Củ Chi Tunnels, a vast underground network of hiding places, supply routes, living quarters and command centers used by Viet Cong soldiers during the war.
While we visited coconut candy factories, crocodile farms and local honey producers, they were firing AK-47 assault rifles and K-54 pistols at a shooting range. More soberingly, they also visited a craft workshop supporting victims of Agent Orange, the chemical defoliant used during the conflict.
While we visited coconut candy factories, crocodile farms and local honey producers, they were firing AK-47 assault rifles and K-54 pistols at a shooting range.
Both destinations lie a couple of hours outside Saigon, offering all of us a glimpse of life beyond the city.
Inspired by the ingenuity of the tunnels, my sons and I visited the War Remnants Museum the following morning. Just a 10-minute walk from our hotel, it offers a confronting but deeply informative insight into the conflict – known locally as the ‘American War’.
Beyond the imposing military hardware on the forecourt, the museum presents powerful imagery and artifacts that help explain the darkest 20-year chapter of the nation’s history. While enjoying the trappings of a luxury vacation, it was a sobering reminder to my sons that the average age of American combat soldiers in Vietnam was similar to their own.
Seeing the welcoming, modern city that Saigon has become, it’s hard to comprehend how it has shaken off such a turbulent past to emerge as a must-visit destination.
Our guide explained that it is precisely because of what the country has endured that people have such a strong appreciation for what they now have. He also pointed out that Saigon has developed a reputation as a welcoming city for everyone, and visitors might find attitudes in Hanoi to the north much less relaxed.
On our final night, a Moët & Chandon party took over the rooftop bar. Saigon’s most glamorous were out in force, foam filled the infinity pool and we shared a final cocktail standing on the hotel’s glass-floored bridge, looking bravely down between our feet to the street 24 stories below.
It was a memorable way to end our first overseas family holiday as adults – in a city and a country very much on the rise.
